The Chinese Canadian Military Museum and Society

555 Columbia St., Chinatown

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

President's Message by HOWE LEE

Almost ten years ago — on 7 November 1998 — the Chinese Canadian Military Museum held its inaugural ceremonies to more than five hundred visitors, in honour of the Chinese Canadian men and women who loyally served in Canada's Armed Forces. Chinese Canadian involvement in the First and Second World Wars, the Vietnam War, Korean War, Afghanistan War, and in peace time capacities has been uncommon knowledge, but with recent commemorative events, the general public's fascination in all things China-related, and the military's interest in multicultural recruitment, there has been increased attention in Canada on the surviving Chinese Canadian veterans from the Second World War. This is where the Chinese Canadian Military Museum and Society have fulfilled a vital role: in preserving the history of the courageous and patriotic Chinese Canadians who participated in their nation's military, in educating people, and in public outreach. Far more successful than hoped for, interest in the Chinese Canadian Military Museum continues to grow.

The Chinese Canadian Military Museum — situated in the Chinese Cultural Centre complex of Vancouver's Chinatown — began with the concept "to educate future generations, and to remember those who made an important contribution to Canadian history." Although the Museum has cultivated quite a bit of interest Canada-wide, it was not until quite recently that the contributions of Chinese Canadians in the Armed Forces of both World Wars were officially and publicly acknowledged. Historically, Chinese Canadians were not considered Canadians even after their participation in the First World War. They were barred from voting and Head Taxes were in effect. In fact, the Chinese continued to pay Head Taxes until 1923 when the Chinese Immigration Act — better known as the Chinese Exclusion Act — was enforced. The Chinese were also restricted from living outside of Chinatown and disallowed jobs in the professions. Regardless of their restricted lives, when the Second World War began almost 800 Chinese Canadians volunteered to fight for the King and Canada. Ironically, while Chinese Canadians fought in all services and theatres during the Second World War and Canada's 'democratic' government waged a war against Fascism, Exclusion was still in effect. Still, they believed that serving in the military would demonstrate the loyalty of Chinese Canadians and would convince the public that they deserved the right to vote. This May 2007 marks the 60^th anniversary since Exclusion Act of 1923 was repealed. This retraction was largely due to Chinese Canadian veterans petitioning the government.

The last few years have been major turning points in the recording and education of Chinese Canadian military history. One of these points has been the postgraduate thesis of Judy Maxwell on the Chinese Canadian veterans, entitled A Cause Worth Fighting For: Chinese Canadians Debate their Participation in the Second World. This research appropriately coincided with the combination of the Year of the Veteran, the 60^th anniversary since end of the Second World War, and the opening of the New War Museum in the nation's capital, Ottawa — all of which brought attention to the Chinese Canadian veterans and the CCMM.

A second turning point was realized in the spring of 2006, when the Department of National Defence held a book launch in Richmond and Vancouver for their publication Fighting for Canada: Chinese and Japanese Canadians in Military Service — the first publication of its kind by the Canadian Forces to acknowledge Chinese and Japanese Canadians who served in Canada's military. A product of the Directorate of Human Rights and Diversity (DHRD), this book illuminates some of the hardships experienced by Chinese and Japanese Canadians who served in the military. Howe Lee, Larry Wong and Judy Maxwell provided assistance to the authors of this book, a publication that was previously available through the Museum and from all Canadian Forces' recruiting centres, but is now out of print because of its mass appeal.

A third defining moment is the Museum's Chinese Canadian Veterans' Oral History Project DVD 'HEROES REMEMBER', now available to the public. The purpose of this Project has been twofold: to safeguard the living memories of the veterans by video-interviewing them, and to create an educational tool. With funding from Veterans' Affairs Canada and numerous other funding agencies, interviews with 22 veterans have been recorded for posterity. Primarily geared toward students, schools, and teachers, this interactive oral history project will be accessible nationally and internationally through Veterans Affairs of Canada's website and the Chinese Canadian Military Museum's website, on DVD-Rom and on display at the Museum.

Not only has the Museum succeeded in raising public awareness and in outreach, but it has also appealed to many VIPs as a worthy stop in Vancouver. Visitors have included Canada's first Chinese Canadian Governor-General, Her Excellency Adrienne Clarkson; Commander of Canada Command, Vice Admiral Jean-Yves Forcier; Commander of Maritime Forces Pacific, Rear Admiral Roger Girourard; former Lieutenant Governor of B.C., Honourable Dr. David Lam; Lieutenant Governor, Honourable Iona Campagnolo; former Federal Minister of Multiculturalism, Honourable Raymond Chan; Countess Mountabatten [from Beckham, U.K.]; and The Netherlands' Consul-General Joop M. Corign, who awarded medals to several Chinese Canadians who took part in D-Day and liberated the Dutch from German occupation. Members of the Board have also been effective in outreaching to locals and visitors with tours of the Museum and surrounding Chinatown neighbourhood, in their Executive involvement with other organizations and in networking.

The Chinese Canadian Military Museum has been pivotal in securing a place in Canadian history for the Chinese Canadian veterans, who were instrumental in transforming Canada's once racially-intolerant, predominantly British and French nation into today's multicultural mosaic. Recent and upcoming commemorative events — such as the anniversary of the Second World War in 2005, the redress of the Head Tax in 2006, the anniversary of the 1947 Canadian Citizenship Act, and the 60th anniversary of the repeal of Exclusion Act — have brought much attention and proper acknowledgement to these vanguards. However, without the dedicated individuals of the Chinese Canadian Military Museum and Society, these veterans would never receive the proper recognition while still alive, nor the safekeeping of their histories for future generations.

Thanks to a dynamic and capable team of Museum Executives, initial objectives have surpassed expectations. This team consists of long-time Curator, Secretary, and Newsletter Editor, Larry Wong; Treasurer and Normandy Campaign-veteran, Frank Wong; Director and RCAF-veteran, Dan Lee; Media Reporter and veteran, Quan Lim; Chief Researcher, Judy Maxwell; and recent additions, King Wan, Canadian Naval Lieutenant Commander; George Ing, retired RCAF Lieutenant Colonel, CELE Branch, and retired Army Artillery Major and lawyer, Alfred Woo; among others. Together, they have effectively added a previously neglected dimension to the history of Canada and the world.